Larry Bettag Illinois FHA Specialist

I've been presenting quite a bit about the $8,000 tax credit. This is so huge for homebuyers. There are so many questions that homebuyers have:

1) Whats the difference between a tax credit and a tax break?

2) How long is this good for?

3) What are the risks for waiting?

4) Is it too late to use the credit for my 2008 taxes?

5) What issues abound that might prevent me from receiving my Tax Credit?

Join Tom Ward, the owner of Majestic Consulting, and myself, July 29th at 7:30 pm, CST for a one hour webinar to answer these specific questions live. Go to www.askcherrycreek.com/midwest.

I think that you, as the consumer, will have so much value that will answer the questions you have in a very concrete and understandable manner. We just did this two weeks ago and had over 70 realtors and financial planners join us for this presentation.

If you're a realtor who has a client sitting on the sidelines, bring them to the webinar. Solid people with concrete answers in challenging times.

See you then!

This news jujst came out yesterday. But in purportedly would be the biggest news in current Illinois government poliitics, Representative Mark Kirk is Officially in the U.S. Senate Race to replace Roland Burris. As most people know, Illinois politics are as controversial as they get. It seems that both parties are not trying to throw out "clean" people to run not only for Ex Governor Blagojevich's Governor position, but now that by the one that used to be held by Obama and Burris.

As Reported by the Chicago Tribune.

U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk officially in Senate race

'It's time to restore the two-party system to Illinois,' North Shore Republican says

By Rick Pearson | Tribune reporter

North Shore Rep. Mark Kirk formally announced Monday his Republican bid for the U.S. Senate seat once held by President Barack Obama, the first salvo in a rare open contest expected to draw big money and national notoriety.

Kirk, 49, a five-term congressman and Navy Reserve officer, is widely viewed among Republicans nationally and at the state level as the GOP's best hope next year to end the Democrats' one-party control of Illinois' statewide offices.

He pitched a message of ethics reform -- seeking to capitalize on what he called the "misrule" of ousted Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who appointed Roland Burris to replace Obama three weeks after Blagojevich's arrest on charges that included trying to sell the Senate seat. Burris recently announced that he would not run for election.

"I think it's time to restore the two-party system to Illinois and have a senator who is going to fight -- especially to make sure we have the strongest federal prosecutors we can have to continue cleaning up the state," Kirk said at a news conference outside his boyhood home in north suburban Kenilworth.

Kirk is backed by leading national Republicans, as well as by former GOP Govs. Jim Edgar and Jim Thompson, and he currently faces no major opposition in the February primary. But Kirk acknowledged that he faces skepticism from core Republican conservatives statewide because he has detoured from GOP dictates on social policy in representing his affluent and socially moderate-to-liberal district.

"I'm going to have to spend quite a lot of time with my fellow Republicans because we have to win a Republican primary first and then win a general election," Kirk said.

Kirk was one of a handful of House Republicans to vote for the cap-and-trade legislation backed by Obama to regulate carbon emissions, which opponents argue will lead to huge energy costs. Kirk said he felt that his vote was a strong statement for energy independence but also said, "I've heard on this issue like no other, and so, for a lot of folks, I'm saying, 'I'm open. I'm listening.' "

But Democrats including state treasurer and prospective Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias rejected Kirk's suggestions of political independence. They contended that Kirk supported the economic policies of the Bush administration while opposing Obama plans including health-care reform. Health-reform activists shouted frequently during Kirk's event.

"If Mark Kirk and I are the respective nominees of our parties, then voters will have a clear choice: Go backward to the reckless Bush-Cheney fiscal policies Kirk supported that cost this state hundreds of thousands of jobs and created the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, or move forward to fundamentally change our economy and create the next generation of good jobs here in Illinois," Giannoulias said in a statement.

Democrats are expected to put up a serious fight for Obama's former seat, and Giannoulias, a close Obama friend, has raised more than $1.8 million in exploring a run. Other Democrats weighing a bid include Cheryle Jackson, head of the Chicago Urban League and a former Blagojevich aide, and Chris Kennedy, head of the Merchandise Mart and a son of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.

Kirk, who has $1 million in cash on hand, estimated that the contest could cost as much as $20 million on each side and anticipated heavy involvement by the White House.

"If my opponent in the general election ends up being Alexi Giannoulias, he will call on them for everything he can get," Kirk said."

So Batavia, Illinois gets makes CNN Money's top 100 places to live. Honestly, it makes number 56. I was surprised that Saint Charles and Geneva weren't ranked higher, but we're all part of the same Fox Valley. This is a huge boon for our community. We've always had a great community, but this really allows for some more recognition. Thanks CNN Money Magazine!!!! We're proud of Batavia as well.

As seen in CNN Money.... www.money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bplive/2009/index.html

WINNERTop 100 rank: 56 Population: 27,300 Compare Batavia to Top 10 Best Places Lined with 19th-century limestone buildings, Batavia has an old-town feel despite its location 35 miles west of downtown Chicago and easy access to commuter trains. The Fox River -- which once powered enough factories to make Batavia the windmill manufacturing capital of the world -- bisects the town and draws crowds each summer for the Mid-American Canoe Race and the Batavia Sprint Distance Triathalon & Duathalon. Batavia is also home to nearly 200 manufacturing, research, and warehousing firms as well as the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, a world-renowned center for physics research. --D.G

Here's the follow up information as "REPORTED" in The Chronicle.... www.kcchronicle.com/articles/2009/07/18/45565719/index.xml

The family of a Montgomery man struck and killed by a car after he was released on bond for a drunken driving arrest, is suing Campton Hills police and a Wasco pub.

The lawsuit claims Campton Hills officers had a responsibility to keep Marcel Lizak safe, shouldn't have let him leave intoxicated, and in doing so, violated his rights.

The complaint also blames Old Towne Pub and Eatery in Wasco and two of its bartenders for serving an intoxicated Lizak, who reportedly had a blood alcohol level of 0.233 - nearly three times the state's legal limit.

In the lawsuit, Lizak's family also names the Village of Campton Hills, Police Chief Greg Anderson, officers Dennis Hughes and Randy Johnson, Old Towne bartenders Kim Weiss and Lorne Szorc, along with Christina M. Aichele of St. Cloud, Minn. - the driver of the car that struck Lizak the night of Aug. 2, 2008.

The complaint was filed Thursday in U.S. District Court's Northern District of Illinois.

The lawsuit, asking for $10 million in damages, states that police had a responsibility to Lizak as part of his 14th Amendment right, which ensures Lizak a "substantive due process right to life and freedom from state-created danger."

The complaint also states that the village has failed to properly train its officers to handle DUI arrests.

About 11:18 p.m., Lizak was struck on Route 38, near LaFox Road, according to police. He was airlifted to Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, where he was pronounced dead.

Five hours earlier, Lizak was pulled over and arrested by Campton Hills police after an officer noticed him driving erratically. He was then taken back to the police station and cited for DUI.

The lawsuit states that Lizak consumed 13 cans of beer that day, between the hours of 1 and 6 p.m.

After driving the wrong way on a road, an officer pulled Lizak over. During the traffic stop, Lizak kept giving the officer a receipt instead of his driver's license, the complaint states.

Lizak then hit himself on his vehicle when he got out of the car for sobriety tests, which he failed, the complaint states. The officer also noticed Lizak's shorts were unzipped.

Just before 7:30 p.m., back at the Campton Hills police station, officers began the booking process for Lizak's DUI charge.

During the booking, Lizak had slurred speech, kept wandering away and couldn't answer officers' questions, the lawsuit states.

Officers then told Lizak that he would have to post $100 bond, plus a $7 processing fee or would have to spend the night in jail.

After Lizak told the officers he didn't have any money, they told him to use his credit card, the lawsuit states.

The complaint also claims officers "forced" Lizak to post bond to avoid driving him to the jail.

After helping Lizak get his credit card out of his wallet, they let him leave, knowing he didn't have a car or a cell phone and lived about 20 miles away, according to the lawsuit.

Lizak walked out of the police station about 8:24 p.m., going to Old Towne - a five minute walk away, the complaint states.

After consuming four beers, according to the complaint, Lizak left on foot, heading south on LaFox Road and later was struck and killed on Route 38.

Old Towne owner Jason Cellini declined to comment, saying he hadn't heard of the lawsuit.

Campton Hills Police Chief Anderson said he hadn't been served as of Friday.

However, Anderson said, a review after Lizak's death showed his officers acted "lawfully and properly."

"We deny any wrongdoing at all," he said.

Campton Hills village attorney William Braithwaite could not be reached for comment Friday evening.

Aichele could not be reached for comment Friday.

There is an article in the Daily Herald about a $10M lawsuit filed against the Village of Campton Hills, the Police Department of Campton Hills, Chief Anderson and several officers and Old Towne Pub and several employees. The suit is by the family of Marcel Lizak of Montgomery, IL. Unfortunately, it is not available electronically at this time.

Lizak was arrested for DUI on August 2 of 2008 about 6:15 PM by the Campton Hills Police and taken to Village Hall. He was allowed to post bail by credit card and was released. He then went to Old Towne Pub and continued drinking, leaving there about 9:45. He was struck and killed by an SUV at the intersection of Hwy. 38 and LaFox Road about 11:15.

The lawsuit contends that the VoCH Police encouraged him to post bail by a credit card so they would not have to take him to the Kane County Jail. The article quotes them a doing this to 'get him outta here'. It also contends that two of the officers suggested he walk back to Montgomery (20 miles away).

Chief Anderson states they have investigated the incident and their actions were lawful. He stands by them. Guess the bigger question is whether or not they were concerned for his safety.

Assume the VoCH has liability insurance to cover this but the legal bills will be ours to pay.

Not sure why they would release a DUI flunker into his own custody allowing them to go for a walk, even a 20 mile walk. Then again, not sure the family has a lot to complain about. Lizak was the one drunk. Now the family may get $10,000,000. Ridiculous. Either way...I sure am disappointed that we may have to pick up another tab by this Campton Hills Government. Gross!